Dr. Neal Smith graduated from the Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health in 2008 after earning a BA in biology from Central Washington University in 2003. He completed a two year residency in Pediatric Dentistry from the University of Washington in 2010 and became board certified by the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry in 2011. Dr. Neal ran the dental clinic at Childrens Village in Yakima from 2010 until he decided to start a practice with his wife in 2013. Dr. Neal is a member of the American Dental Association (ADA), Washington State Dental Association (WSDA), American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), Washington State Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (WSAPD), and the Academy of Sports Dentistry. He furthers his knowledge through Continuing Educational courses as often as possible. He strives to provide a fun experience while maintaining the highest quality of care and ultimately educating patients and their families to reduce the risk of dental disease. Dr. Neal and his wife, Dr. Amy, believe in education and prevention as the first approach to obtaining oral health. Together, they hope to provide the best, most comprehensive dental care to children in the communities they serve.
Dr. Neal and his wife have a daughter named Anna, who is sweet and funny. When not in the office, Dr. Neal enjoys traveling, hiking and bird hunting with his German Wirehaired Pointer Sophie. He also enjoys anything to do with sports, especially his favorite teams, the Arizona Cardinals and Arizona Coyotes.
Dr. Amy Smith also graduated from the Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health in 2008 after earning a BA in biology from Central Washington University in 2003. She then completed an additional year of training in 2009 through the Northwest Dental Residency program earning a certificate in Advanced Education in General Dentistry. Dr. Amy also attends quarterly Continuing Education courses as she has a passion for learning. Dr. Amy is a member of the ADA, WSDA, and an affiliate member of the AAPD and the WSAPD. She utilizes her advanced training in endodontics and oral surgery to treat teens and preteens with comprehensive care, and strives to provide the best care with quality and compassion.
Claudia has been with our practice since 2016, and in her time with us she has become a valued member of our team, both by our staff and our patients. She believes that the key to the success seen by Central Washington Pediatric Dentistry is in treating patients like family. Claudia has a husband of 16 years and a 14-year-old daughter. She has fun shopping and spending time with her daughter.
Mindy has been one of our dental assistants for over 3 years. She graduated from Eisenhower High School in 2007 and completed her dental assistant program through Farm Workers Clinic in 2009. Mindy loves our team and appreciates how close we arelike a family. Every day, she goes to work to have fun! Mindy has a passion for working with kids. She met Dr. Neal in 2009 during her dental assistant program, and has worked with him ever since. Mindy is married to her best friend and has a toddler, Lea. Her hobbies include yoga, going to the movies, and playing and singing with Lea.
Kimberly graduated from Yakima Valley Techs dental assisting program in 2013. Some of her favorite parts of being a dental assistant are working in a friendly environment with our team and giving her all to help our patients. She enjoys spending time with her daughter, 4-year-old Leilany, and family.
Maribel loves educating patients on cavities and oral health. Her ability to connect with patients helps her answer questions and encourage the development of good dental hygiene habits. Maribel went to Davis High School and graduated from Charter College. She loves family time, spending time outdoors, and shopping.
Kiele finished her training at the Central Washington School of Dental Assisting in 2015 and has been with us for one year and three months. She thrives when working with children, helping them to have fun and exciting visits. In her free time, Kiele likes being outdoors, travelling, and going to the beach with her dog.
As a parent, we all know that kids are a ton of work. On top of everything else you need to watch for, youre also expected to keep a careful eye on their oral health. But how can you get kids to brush and floss? When do they need to see Dr. Neal Smith at Central Washington Pediatric Dentistry in Yakima, Washington? The questions quickly pile up, which is why were going to take a few moments to discuss when you should bring your child in for his or her first dental checkup
If youve ever raised a child, you probably know that teething can be an exciting and difficult time. Usually, your childs first tooth will come in when theyre about four months old and will continue erupting until theyre about two years old. Sadly, teething can be very uncomfortable, but there are a few things you can do to make the experience easier for your little one
Its no secret that most children dont particularly enjoy a dental visit. Often thats because children dont go to the dentist regularly from a young age, and their first visit is to take care of a cavity. If thats the case with you and your child, lets look at some things you can do to help your kids calm down and more thoroughly enjoy the dentist
Dr. Neal Smith and the oral care specialists at his Yakima, Washington clinic understand that as a parent, every aspect of your childs health is important to you. This extends to maintaining the health of their mouth. Of course, prevention is the first line of defense and this is founded on instilling them with a consistent daily oral hygiene routine.
Naturally, most parents are concerned for their children, especially when they are in any type of pain. As you also know, most parents are concerned with their childrens health and wouldnt like to do anything that could be bad for their health. However, do you know what you can do to when your childs tooth is loose? Is a loose tooth painful? Similarly, would pulling a loose tooth be painful?
Did you know that your child is prone to tooth decay? Well, its true. Its called baby bottle tooth decay, and its a common dental problem found in many childrens smiles. Generally, the cause of this issue is the prolonged exposure to sugary drinks, and it usually causes major oral health issues, like poor eating habits, speech problems, crooked teeth, and damaged adult teeth. So, its best to help your child prevent this issue as much as possible. You can do so by doing the following things